We recently surveyed a number the pastors that receive our monthly mailings and asked them to provide information about web-sites, e-newsletters, and magazines/journals that they find helpful in their devotions, studies, and sermon preparation. Inclusion on this list does not imply that TCM agrees with or endorses every thought or idea from a particular minister or organization. It simply means that one or more of our pastor-friends has found information they deem helpful through these resources. Each of these Web sites resides on servers not under our control, and may change at any time.…read more

The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs. At first the heavy thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper in the subcutaneous tissues, producing first and oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles. …read more

Every true minister deeply appreciates the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the whole counsel of God’s Word. But when it comes to ministering to people, does “where they are” influence and affect how we minister to them? What we minister to them? Is our message “one size fits all,” or are there different emphases that are appropriate for different individuals and groups based on where they are with God, their level of maturity, their level of consecration, etc.? …read more

NEWS FLASH:
JOHN OUTRUNS PETER IN SPRINT TO THE EMPTY TOMB!

Did you ever notice in John’s Gospel that he made two references to the fact that he outran Peter in getting to the tomb on the morning of the resurrection?

John 20:1-8
1 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in .6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

Isn’t that amazing! John is writing about the most important event in human history—the resurrection of Jesus—and he makes two references to outrunning Peter! John was quite old when he wrote this (it was probably 50 or 60 years after the resurrection), and I’m sure there was a smile on his face when he included this detail. He probably had teased Peter about it over the years… the way competitive guys will sometimes do in a good-natured way.

Not only did he reference himself being faster than Peter, but he also alluded to having better manners and being more cultured than Peter. John mentioned how he respectfully stopped at the entrance of the tomb, but Peter, being more impulsive, just barged right in—not observing proper graveside etiquette.

We call John the Apostle of Love, and rightly so.

“It is also said [of John] that during his latter years he was not able to make a long discourse. He was carried to the assembly, and was accustomed to say nothing but this: ‘Little children, love one another.’ At length his disciples asked him why he always dwelt upon the same thing. He replied, ‘Because it is the Lord’s command; and if this is done, it is sufficient.’” (from Barnes’ Notes)

However, John wasn’t always known for being loving and gentle, and his competitiveness wasn’t always good-natured. Consider the following items that John did not include in his Gospel:

John did not include the fact that Jesus gave John and his brother James the nickname, Boanerges, which means “The sons of Thunder.” This term also has the connotation of noise and commotion (Mark 3:17). John much preferred the nickname he apparently gave himself: The disciple whom Jesus loved.

John did not include the fact that right after Jesus had taught the disciples about becoming as little children, John told Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” Jesus had to correct John about not having an attitude of exclusivity or superiority concerning ministry (Mark 9:38-42).

John did not include the fact that the disciples had significant strife and numerous arguments about which of them was the greatest. One of these was sparked when John and James went to Jesus privately and requested the seats of highest honor in His Kingdom (Mark 10:35-45).

John did not include the fact that when a Samaritan village was unwilling to receive Jesus’ ministry, John became angry and asked if Jesus wanted him to command fire to come down from heaven to destroy them? Jesus rebuked him and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (Luke 9:51-56).

Incidentally, three of the four above-mentioned incidents that were less-than-flattering to John are recorded in Mark’s Gospel. Mark is considered to have gotten the information for his Gospel from guess who? You’re right – Peter. Scholars widely believe that Mark’s Gospel was heavily influenced by Peter’s teachings.

I’m not saying that Peter and John were in perpetual strife or that they harbored ill-will toward each other. Thank God they were both born-again after Jesus’ resurrection, received the life and the love of God on the inside of them, and grew up spiritually. They learned to walk in love and work together as a team.

In Acts 3:1-11 – Peter and John were going up together to the temple to pray… they were together when the lame man was miraculously healed.

In Acts 4 – Peter and John were put in prison together, and gave defense before the Sanhedrin – (4:13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled.

In Acts 8:14 – “…when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them…”

So when did it finally get through to these guys that they had to quit trying to out-do each other, comparing themselves with each other, and competing against one another? A real turning-point seems to have occurred in John 21.

Peter, who had denied Jesus three times, was asked three times by the Lord, “Simon, do you love me?” Peter reaffirmed his love for Jesus, and Jesus reiterated the call that was upon His life… “Feed my sheep.”

What happened immediately after this really highlights the problem of comparison and competitiveness that existed among the disciples, and also shows us how much Jesus dislikes it when His servants focus on others instead of obeying what he has called them to do. Jesus went on to say to Peter…

John 21:18-22
18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

Putting it very bluntly, Jesus told Peter that it was none of his business what He had called John to do. Jesus knew that if Peter was going to fulfill God’s plan for his life, he had to get his eyes off of others. It was no longer about who was going to be the greatest, or who would receive the most recognition.

When Jesus told Peter, “Feed my sheep,” it was all about COMPASSION. When Peter said, “Lord, what about this man” It was all about COMPARISON.

Jesus had originally spoken to Peter to help him overcome discouragement, and to clarify and reinforce his call. But he ended up rebuking him about the sin of comparison.

Peter had to learn to take his eyes off of John and off of any other human beings.

Comparison and competition were not going to be allowed any longer.

Comparison is always based on insecurity, and it will only produce pride or inferiority.

Discussing his own growth in his attitudes and perspectives of leadership, John Maxwell said the following:

“I was very position-conscious. I was making sure that I had my title and my position and “my rights.” Let me tell you something: leaders come from all walks of life, and they often lead people without the benefit of a position or a title. They do it by building influence with others. People who are focused on their position are too wrapped up rights and responsibilities to influence anyone.

I was very competitive.

I became very competitive during that whole process, and the reason for that is very simple: I was always trying to beat someone else. People are not apt to follow you if your goal is to defeat them and make a loser out of them. Leaders encourage people and make them feel like winners.” (From an article entitled, “Travel Agent or Tour Guide”)

We must discover…

* Our gifts
* Our calling
* Our assignment

…and operate in them.

Our job is not to ask, “Lord, what about this man?”

Our job is to obey God and to serve him according to how he called, gifted, anointed, and equipped us.

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 (Amplified)
12 Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.
13 We, on the other hand, will not boast beyond our legitimate province and proper limit, but will keep within the limits [of our commission which] God has allotted us as our measuring line and which reaches and includes even you.

You can’t be someone else – you’ve got to be the best you that you can be – who God intended for you to be.

You can’t do what someone else can do – you’ve got your own calling and your own gifts.

* Moses had a rod.
* Rahab had a scarlet thread.
* Samson had the jawbone of a donkey.
* David had a sling.
* The widow woman had a pot of oil.
* The little boy had a few loaves and a few fishes.
* Dorcas had a needle and thread.

All of these used what they had—even though it may have seemed small in their own eyes—to the glory of God!

Keep in mind that…

* Noah never re-built the walls of Jerusalem.
* Abraham never split the Red Sea.
* Joseph never built an Ark.
* Moses never defeated the Philistines.
* Joshua never pioneered a church.
* David never heard God speak from a burning bush.
* Daniel never multiplied the loaves and the fish.
* Nehemiah never spent the night in the lion’s den.
* Paul never saw the walls of Jericho fall down.

When I consider what is learned from John and Peter, I’m thankful that God allowed the “flavor” of human personality to come through in His inspired Word.

As we see John’s growth in love, we can realize that there’s hope for all of us. If there are parts of us that are prideful and self-seeking, we can grow in love just like John did.

As we observe Peter’s growth in grace, we recognize that even when our human-ness and insecurities seem to get in the way, God is continually grooming us and developing us so that His glory and His Spirit can shine through.

Through this growth, we’ll be able, like John, to look back at our former competitiveness, and smile at ourselves. And like Peter, we’ll quit asking, “What about this man?” and simply stay focused on following the Lord. Instead of feeling threatened by each other, we’ll cheer one another on, realizing that we’re all on the same team. We’ll no longer be trying to out-do each other, but will truly endeavor to help one another.

Let me share these quotes in closing:

“There is a great destructive force that comes upon is when we start comparing ourselves in the flesh with what we could be spiritually. We should never compare what we are with what we could be, because we will always be down on ourselves when we do this. Just look to Jesus and what He is. As long as we look to Jesus we will go toward Him. When we look at our inferiority we will go toward it.”
– Smith Wigglesworth

“Rabbits don’t fly. Eagles don’t swim. Ducks look funny trying to climb. Squirrels don’t have feathers. Stop comparing. There’s plenty of room in the forest.”
– Charles Swindoll

The president of the Special Olympics was giving a talk to a large audience. During the question and answer time that followed, someone asked him to describe the best moment for him as president of that year’s Special Olympics. Without any hesitation he told about the 100-meter run. Six developmentally handicapped kids lined up in a stadium filled with 50,000 people. These kids had prepared all year for this event. They wanted to win. Although they could not run well, they would give it their very best effort. The gun went off and all six began to run. At about the 50-meter mark, one of the six runners fell down, face first on the track. The other five runners took a couple more steps and then stopped. They looked back and saw the fallen runner. Then, to the surprise of the crowd, they all went back, helped the fallen runner to his feet, joined hands, and continued the race–all of them crossing the finish line at the same moment. Each one received a gold medal. Our role as members of Jesus’ church is helping those who fall to get back up. The church is not the place for competition; we must serve together in unity. What Jesus wanted most of all for the church was that we would be one (John 17:23).

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (New Living Translation)
5 Who is Apollos, and who is Paul, that we should be the cause of such quarrels? Why, we’re only servants. Through us God caused you to believe. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow. 7 The ones who do the planting or watering aren’t important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work. 9 We work together as partners who belong to God. You are God’s field, God’s building–not ours.

How Leaders Listen
By Tony Cooke

With so much busy-ness and so many distractions in life, good listening typically doesn’t happen by accident; it takes a decision, diligence, and discipline. Being a good listener is not necessarily a trait that comes naturally to us. Oswald Sanders noted that, “Too many strong personalities are compulsive talkers.” Many philosophers and sages down through the centuries have made the simple observation that God gave us one mouth and two ears. Is there a lesson in that?

Effective listening is a powerful and often overlooked tool in our personal growth and professional development, and is necessary if we are to provide quality ministry to others. There are three areas where we should seek to be proficient in our listening:

Devotional Listening – Facilitates Personal Enrichment
Relational Listening – Helps Us Connect With Others
Navigational Listening – Produces Effective Leadership

Devotional listening is found in young Samuel’s statement, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10, Amp). As Isaiah acknowledged that the Lord had given him “the tongue of the learned,” he also stated, “he awakens my ear to hear as the learned” (Isaiah 50:4). If we want to speak wise things, we need to prepare by listening and observing well.

We all know the importance of the Bible, but hearing from God is more than an intellectual accumulation of scriptural facts. The Author of the Book, the Holy Spirit, desires to take those Bible truths and work them into the very core of our being. This involves more than rote memorization; it involves a meaningful relationship.

A.W. Tozer said, “Retire from the world each day to some private spot. Stay in the secret place till the surrounding noises begin to fade out of your heart and a sense of God’s presence envelops you. Deliberately tune out the unpleasant sounds and come out of your closet determined not to hear them. Listen for the inward voice till you learn to recognize it.” Francois Fenelon said, “…it is essential that we acquire the habit of hearkening to His voice… and listening so as to lose nothing of what He says to us.”

Relational listening communicates value, and is a vital component in building strong and meaningful relationships with others. One individual said, “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” Another said, “The first duty of love is to listen.”

A would-be politician approached Justice Oliver Wendell Homes for advice on how to get elected. Holmes replied: “To be able to listen to others in a sympathetic and understanding manner, is perhaps the most effective mechanism in the world for getting along with people, and tying up their friendship for good.”

The opposite of this would be true also—if we want to repel and alienate others, be indifferent and uninterested in their lives and what they have to say. This is why Dale Carnegie said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years of trying to get other people interested in you.”

Navigational listening enables a leader to gather essential information to make informed and accurate decisions. It is said that General Dwight Eisenhower would not make a tactical decision until he found someone who strongly opposed it, and then he heard them out. He wanted to see any weaknesses before proceeding.

Bill Gates, founder and CEO of Microsoft, commented, “Sometimes I think my most important job as CEO is to listen for bad news. If you don’t act on it, your people will eventually stop bringing bad news to your attention. And that’s the beginning of the end.” Of course, we need to have discretion and discernment about what information we receive and what information we reject. As one individual remarked, “The two quick ways to disaster are to take nobody’s advice and to take everybody’s advice.”

With so much busy-ness and so many distractions in life, good listening typically doesn’t happen by accident; it takes a decision, diligence, and discipline. Being a good listener is not necessarily a trait that comes naturally to us. Oswald Sanders noted that, “Too many strong personalities are compulsive talkers.” Many philosophers and sages down through the centuries have made the simple observation that God gave us one mouth and two ears. Is there a lesson in that? …read more

Feedback on Indulgences Article

Several people responded to the article about Indulgences.  Here’s what they said:

 

“What a blessing to read your newsletter!  I had been wrestling with some information I had received concerning issues that you spoke about in your letter.  We are seeing many strange things in regard to asking for money.  I am so thankful that you are addressing these things although I know it is not popular with many fundraisers.  I want to be a seeker of the truth.  Thank you for reassuring me of what I believed in my heart …that salvation and healing are not for sale.”  
– A Believer

“Thank you for having the guts to address this subject and to put it into proper perspective.  It is so very easy for ministers to get caught up in manipulating people to give in order to sustain their vision. We are facing some financial hurdles ourselves, and with all the current hype regarding giving, I even found myself thinking of ways to implement these things.  I learned a truth, if you are really trusting God as your source, you won’t pressure or manipulate people to give. Just present the opportunity.”
– A Pastor

“I just read your newsletter yesterday and I was so thrilled to hear your perspective on the “use of relics” as it were.  I realize that it takes money to run a ministry (as a small church pastor that is always in front of me) but a lot of times it comes across that people are pulled upon so heavily, and then their support of the local church diminishes.  Again thank you for letting me know that I’m not clear off in left field for feeling this way.”
– A Pastor

“You did a great job in pointing out some of the ridiculous stuff that is taking place today while explaining the need to teach sound biblical principles of giving. You might want to add that pastors and ministers that have pure and right hearts and are in genuine relationships with their people need to continually speak to their people about the right way to give. The sheep really do hear their voice and pick up on their hearts. My observation is that there are a lot of preachers that quite honestly I wish would hush, and there are thousands more that need to speak up!”
– A Pastor 

“The article on “indulgences” brings a very balanced approach to the subject.  It’s too bad that folks who become desperate financially, often through poor stewardship, are duped into these kinds of schemes hoping for their miracle.”
– A Pastor

“I loved your article on ‘Indulgences.’  I made up my mind a good while ago I was done listening to people with such thinking.  When a person gets free in Jesus and moves with the ‘right’ stuff, amazingly, God just blesses.  There are many honest hearts out there who desire such truth.”
– A Pastor

“This is an excellent and necessary article. I have also seen a few local pastors get the idea that this is how they should operate as well, by gimmicks, etc. It is embarrassing how gullible Christians are, who are supposed to have the Spirit of truth in them!  This a balanced treatment of this subject, yet it has some teeth to it and then gives ample scriptural instruction.”
– A Pastor

“I think you are right on track.  I believe that many who do this are not evil or necessarily motivated by greed, but sometimes are just victims of extreme and theologically warped teachings.  It would also be good to hear examples of how one could communicate that God will respond to obedient giving by prospering, healing, blessing etc… without crossing the line.  This would sharpen our focus, and help us to navigate an admittedly difficult channel.”
– A Pastor

 

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Immanence and Transcendence: How Do You See God?
Tony Cooke

Recently, I was listening to a worship service that Lisa had downloaded. The music was beautiful, and you could sense the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I heard the worship leader exhorting the people and saying such things as, “The Holy Spirit is here and He is moving in this place. Open your heart and let Him sweep over your life. Let Him saturate you with His peace. Get ready to encounter His Presence and feel His love as He moves in this place.”

Such encouragement directs people toward what we might call the immanence of God. That means He’s the God of the right here and the right now! It means He’s moving, flowing, and intermingling with us right where we are. When immanence is emphasized, expectancy is important. Being in tune with what God is saying and doing right now is key.

I grew up in a tradition that emphasized more of the transcendence of God… His over-arching, enduring, unchanging, and eternal reality. We acknowledged that “God was with us” in a general sort of way, but I don’t ever recall any expectation conveyed that He would ever doing anything significant in our midst. We knew that God ruled in yonder heaven, and everyone seemed content with that; we didn’t know to expect anything more than that.

We would have been very inclined toward a Scripture such as: “He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:15-16). We would not have gravitated toward, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). We would have acknowledged that Scripture in Acts historically, but had no expectation of such a phenomenon (or any other supernatural phenomenon) personally or experientially.

One of the great hymns we sang had the words: “Our God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come. Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.” Most of that song speaks of God’s transcendence, but we also catch a glimpse of His immanence when it refers to God as, “our shelter from the stormy blast.”

When I received the infilling of the Holy Spirit in 1977, I began fellowshipping with believers who heavily emphasized the immanence of God, and it was very different being with people who believed that gatherings should be a time to truly experience and encounter God in very specific ways personally. We were encouraged to, “…taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). There was an emphasis on God working through believers—right here, right now—in the nine gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11), the five-fold offices (Ephesians 4:11) and the expressions listed in Romans 12:6-8 (serving, exhorting, giving, etc.).

Today, I am grateful for both God’s transcendence and immanence. I see these not as being an either/or need in the life of the believer, but I realize the necessity for both/and. We need His grandeur and we need his closeness. We need stability and sensitivity. If we focus on His transcendence without a sense of His immanence, we can perceive God as being aloof and distant. If we focus on His immanence and ignore His transcendence, we can become overly subjective about God, always looking for an immediate feeling, and limiting our perspective of God by what we have personally experienced of Him.

The Apostle Paul seemed to emphasize the transcendence of God when He said, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Earlier in this epistle, Paul had said that God, “…comforts us in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 1:4), and that speaks of God’s immanence. When we are hurting, we certainly appreciate immediate comfort. That comfort, though, doesn’t always come in immediately changed circumstances, but it can come from an intentionally changed perspective. Paul had to look beyond the immediate circumstances in several situations to embrace an eternal perspective of God and His plan.

Another hymn of the church states: “When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace.” We might not feel or perceive God at a certain time, but we can still trust in His eternal, unchanging nature regardless of what we sense or don’t sense at any given moment.

Perhaps the following chart can help illustrate the two dimensions of our perception of God. I believe both are vital for having a more complete picture of who God is.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Transcendence	Immanence
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)	“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory…” (John 1:14)
What God has always said and done.	What God is saying and doing right now.
God is over us, above us, and beyond us. He, “…sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers…” (Isaiah 40:22)	“I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
The One “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)	“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
“For I am the LORD, I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6)	“God moved in our church service yesterday.”
“I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command. ” (Isaiah 45:12, NLT)	“O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” (Psalm 139:1, 7)
Perceives God relative to His overall, eternal plan.	Perceives God as to how He relates to me and mine.
Sees the big picture, the eternal.	Sees the short-range, the immediate.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)	“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God… we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:12, 16)
“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place…’ (Isaiah 57:15a, ESV)	…and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15b, ESV)
Teaches us that God is big enough to create and sustain the entire universe.	Teaches us that God is close and personal enough to take care of us.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I pray that this understanding will help us better experience the fulfillment of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:18, that we be able to may be able to, “….comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

When the Call Seems Small
By Rev. Tony Cooke

A friend recently shared an important truth… that we need to know how to handle it when the call seems small. Perhaps you’ve had workers in your church doing what you know is valuable work, but they are unsettled, thinking they’re supposed to be doing something they consider more important. Pastors can also feel frustration because their church or budget isn’t as large as they’d like.

Our society exalts the “biggest” and the “best,” but I’ve noticed that some never enjoy where they are or what they have in life because they’re always mindful that someone has more than they do. Perhaps because of envy, insecurity, or short-sightedness, they don’t see the value and significance of what is right before them.

I recently read about an individual who got a new bicycle when he was in fifth grade. He was thrilled about his new bike and was thoroughly enjoying it, until he rode down the street and found out that his neighbor had gotten a fancier bike. He lost his joy when he became envious of his friend’s nicer bike.

Envy truly is a scourge! It causes us to focus on what we don’t have to the point that we miss seeing and taking pleasure in what we do have. Alexander Graham Bell said, “When one door closes another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.” If our vision is always on the grandiose, we may miss an excellent opportunity because it is wrapped in what we consider to be a small package!

THE UNIVERSE OR A PEANUT?

George Washington Carver (1864-1943) started his life as a slave, but became a chemist, horticulturist, and educator. He discovered three hundred uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. Carver said, “When I was young, I said to God, ‘God, tell me the mystery of the universe.’ But God answered, ‘That knowledge is for me alone.’ So I said, ‘God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.’ Then God said, ‘Well George, that’s more nearly your size.’ And he told me.”

No one who knows history would dispute that George Washington Carver made a BIG contribution to society, but he had to start out by valuing something SMALL.

RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF SMALL THINGS

People often fall prey to feelings of inferiority and intimidation. I’ve noticed three lies that the enemy tends to bring against believers to keep them in a state of spiritual paralysis and inactivity. Those three lies are:

* You have little value – you are worthless.
* You have little faith – you are faithless.
* You have little ability – you are useless.

The truth is that we are all valuable and precious to God! Also, Jesus said that if we had faith as a mustard seed, we could move mountains. Finally, even if we believe that our gifts or abilities are small compared to others, we must realize that God can use what we yield to Him in great ways…

* Moses only had a rod, but God used it to bring the greatest empire of the world to its knees and to deliver the children of Israel.
* Rahab only had a scarlet thread, but with it, she brought deliverance to her entire family.
* Samson only had the jawbone of a donkey, but God used it to help him defeat one thousand men.
* The widow woman only had some oil, but God used it to bring a great miracle of provision.
* The little boy only had a few loaves and fishes, but Jesus used them to feed a multitude.
* Dorcas only had a needle and thread, but she blessed many by using what she had.

Things that we consider small can be important! You may have heard the old rhyme:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

EDWARD WHO?

Most Christians have never heard the name of Edward Kimball. He wasn’t a famous evangelist or a powerful pastor, but was a Sunday School teacher in the mid-1800s at a Congregational Church in Boston, Massachusetts. One day Mr. Kimball dropped in to see a young shoe salesman who had visited his class. As a result of this visit the young man came to trust in Jesus Christ. Mr. Kimball expressed that he was quite nervous about visiting the young man and that his visit was “weak.” But he said, “It seemed that the young man was just ready for the light that then broke upon him.” Incidentally, the young man who accepted the Lord during Mr. Kimball’s visit was named Dwight L. Moody, who later led over a million people to the Lord.

Even if the person Edward Kimball led to the Lord had not eventually become a great evangelist, his work would still have been important to God! Never underestimate the value of your work, your kindness, your encouragement, your giving, or your prayers. Jesus said that if we even give a cup of water to someone who belongs to him, we would not lose our reward (Matthew 9:41).

WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY TO A SMALL CHURCH?

In a very critical hour in church history (Revelation 1-3), Jesus was mindful of pastors and local churches, including what appears to have been a small congregation in Philadelphia. Jesus spoke to the angel (the pastor) of this church and said, “See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Revelation 3:8).

Vincent’s Word Studies says the phrase (you have a little strength) could be rendered, “thou art poor in numbers and worldly resources.” This was a church that was few in numbers and limited in resources, and yet Jesus communicated very positively concerning their amazing potential.

The Wuest translation renders this verse, “Consider this. I have given [you] as a permanent possession a door which has been permanently opened, which no one is able to close; because you have but a small amount of power, and you safeguarded my word by carefully observing it, and you did not deny my Name.”

COULD JESUS REALLY BE PLEASED WITH A SMALLER CHURCH?

Was Jesus disappointed with this pastor and this church? Was he discouraged about their apparent lack of accomplishments? Was he upset that they hadn’t grown more? On the contrary, Jesus was pleased with and positive toward this local congregation. He valued it, was hopeful toward it, and saw its great potential. The Philadelphian congregation was probably the smallest of the churches that received these letters, but it was one of only two that received no form of correction from Jesus. Even the great mega-church of its day (Ephesus) did not receive the unqualified commendation that Philadelphia received.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m all for every church reaching as many people for Jesus as possible, but I also realize that Satan seems to specialize in perching on the shoulders of pastors and reminding them that their church isn’t as big as Joel Osteen’s or T.D. Jakes’ and intimidating them with feelings that their work for God is somehow insignificant. If you were pastoring a church of 15,000 people, the devil could (and probably would) tell you that compared to Dr. Cho, your church was still small, and that compared to Reinhard Bonnke, you’re still not reaching many people.

WHAT HAD THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA DONE?

Jesus commended them for three very basic aspects of the faith. He said:

* You have kept my word.
* You have not denied my name.
* You have kept my command to persevere.

Doesn’t it seem likely that Jesus would also be pleased with pastors and churches who are doing those same things today? If you don’t have as large of attendance as you would desire, or as many resources as you’d like, here are some things to keep in mind (whether you have 10 in your congregation or 10,000):

* Remember that God the Father said He was “well pleased” with Jesus before He had preached a single sermon, worked a single miracle, or had any followers.
* He doesn’t want you living under condemnation or a sense of failure. Rather, He wants you looking for and walking through the open doors (opportunities) that He has placed in front of you.
* Capitalize on the strengths that you do have, even if you feel like all you have is a “little strength.”
* Aim for fruitfulness and impact, and don’t get caught in the comparison trap or the numbers game.
* Don’t allow yourself to get so frustrated with what you don’t have that you fail to tap into the creativity of God and the inspired ideas that would enable you to see greater fruitfulness.
* Dream, don’t despair!

I think all faith people are advocates of dreaming, thinking, and expecting big, and that’s great as long as we don’t neglect the seemingly small things upon which God places great value. We need to be sure that the big things we desire are truly God’s big dreams for our lives, and not merely extensions of human ego or insecurity. We must not fall into the trap that one person described: “Some ministers love crowds but hate people.” Remember also that Saul’s greatest days of serving God were when he was “small in his own eyes” (1 Samuel 15:17).

LEARNING CONTENTMENT

Perhaps David had found relief from envy-based agitation when he wrote Psalm 131:1-3. The Message Version renders these verses: “GOD, I’m not trying to rule the roost, I don’t want to be king of the mountain. I haven’t meddled where I have no business or fantasized grandiose plans. I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content. Wait, Israel, for GOD. Wait with hope. Hope now; hope always!”

Helen Keller said, “I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief aim to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Even if it seems small, what are the tasks and opportunities that God has placed before us? Surely he doesn’t want us always envying the greener grass on the other side of the fence, but he wants us fertilizing and watering our own yard! He wants us to bloom where we’ve been planted. Below is a collection of quotes that remind us the importance of focusing on the opportunities that are before us.

“A possibility is a hint from God.”
– Sören Kierkegaard

“No great man ever complains of want of opportunity.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“There is no security on this earth. Only opportunity.”
– Douglas Macarthur

“The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are.”
– John Burrows

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
– Thomas Edison

“To young men who are looking for an opportunity and who complain there is no opening for them, permit me to say this: Go where the poor and the under-priviliged are. They will be glad to hear you. When you have learned to bless them, others will be calling for your services. Don’t wait for opportunity to come walking up to you. Go to meet it. My wife and I resolved that we would not allow an opportunity to build up the church, pass us by, and if we did not find opportunities ready-made, we would make them.”
– Gordon Lindsay

What About Bob?
By Rev. Tony Cooke

I recently ministered for Pastor Jerry Piker in Laurie, Missouri. Over the past 20 years, Jerry and Shirlene have built a great church in a small community (the sign as you drive into town says, “Population 663”). Jerry has a servant’s heart, and like many pastors, he’s done whatever it’s taken over the years to get the job done (mowing the yard, maintenance, etc. in addition to preaching and caring for the people).

As we fellowshipped, he mentioned a man in his church named Bob who had been a great blessing to him and his wife in many ways. This man was from a rough background and had gotten saved at the church. As Bob grew in the Lord, he told Pastor Jerry, “I don’t know anything about this ministry of helps, but I feel called to it.”

Pastor Jerry related: “Bob began by doing simple things for us like not going through doors ahead of us but opening doors and holding them for us. Then one day, he came to me and said, ‘You shouldn’t be mowing the grass, I will do that so you won’t have to.’ After about a year of continuing to grow in the Word of God, Bob came to me and said, ‘Pastor, I believe we are called to take care of you and your wife.’ I thought the words ‘take care of’ were a little strange to be saying because I didn’t really know Bob that well.

Over the next few years I grew to love and appreciate Bob all the more. I found out what being taken care of meant. You see, Bob, established things for us that no person had even thought about or asked about. He asked if he could present an opportunity for the church members to invest in our retirement fund and he established that for us. Every Christmas whether he had money or not, we would both be presented with a nice present. He also sent us to Hawaii once and took us another time. The ministry of helps became a new ministry for our church because Bob took it upon himself to see that I was not doing the ‘waiting on tables,’ I could now concentrate on the Word of God and prayer. Bob was my answer from Heaven. From that time since, I have never had anyone in our church like Bob. He went home to be with the Lord a few years ago, but left word to his wife to continue to take care of Pastor.”

Having seen many pastors struggle without sufficient help, my heart was warmed as I heard Pastor Jerry share about someone who had been such a God-send to him and his wife. I realize that some leaders take this kind of thing to an extreme and develop wrong attitudes about such matters. They seem to believe that everyone exists merely to cater to them and serve them… that others exist merely for their own personal benefit. In so doing, they lose sight of the fact that as leaders, we are never to cease being servants ourselves. However, I think these types of leaders are greatly in the minority. The vast majority of pastors I’ve had the privilege of associating with genuinely embody the traits described in such scriptures as Matthew 20:28, 2 Corinthians 12:15, and 1 Thessalonians 2:6-7.

Who Ministered to Jesus and Paul?

Jesus and Paul were certainly servants who ministered to others, but who ministered to them? They gave magnificently of themselves to others, but they also benefited greatly from individuals who had a special calling to support and assist them. There were special people (like Bob) that God placed “in their corner” to encourage them and under-gird them.

We know that Jesus’ disciples helped in some practical areas of Jesus’ ministry, but we sometimes forget the other individuals who worked behind the scenes in support of Jesus and his ministry. Luke 8:1-3 says, “Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities — Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.”

The New Living Translation says there were, “…many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.” Later, at the cross (Mark 15:40-1), reference is made to these same women, “…who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee.”

The Apostle Paul spoke repeatedly of people that God had sent into his life at key times, and he spoke with overflowing gratitude of the help and encouragement that they had been to him. One time, Paul referred to how he had been, “…comforted by the coming of Titus” (2 Cor. 7:6), and he also referred to a group of brothers who had proven, “…to be a comfort to me” (Col. 4:11).

In the first verse, comforted means to call to one’s side. Comfort in the latter verse is a medical term that refers to medicines that relieve irritations. It has connotations of soothing, solace, relief, alleviation, consolation, and encouragement. Pastors, and everyone else for that matter, are truly blessed if they are surrounded with others who have that type of effect in their lives.

Paul wasn’t merely thankful for people who had helped him in his ministry (that could appear to have been self-serving even if it wasn’t Paul’s motive), but he promoted the helping of others who were preaching the gospel as well. In Romans 16:1-2, he said, “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.”

In essence, Paul was saying, “Be a Bob to Phoebe, because she’s been a Bob to me and to many.” This is really what partnership and teamwork in life and ministry are all about. We all need help and we all have a need to help others. I love what Charles Brower said: “Few people are successful unless a lot of other people want them to be.”

History has some great examples of such helping and partnership. For example, Martin Luther wasn’t the first reformer, but his is the name we most remember. Some of the early reformers didn’t live long because of persecution, but Luther had the care, protection, and provision that came to him through Fredrick of Saxony in the Wartburg Castle. We might say that Martin Luther had his own “Bob,” someone who felt that the Lord had given him the assignment of serving the great reformer and helping him fulfill his mission.

There is a powerful verse in Isaiah 41:6-7 that describes the power of teamwork: “Everyone helped his neighbor, and said to his brother, ‘Be of good courage!’ So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, saying, ‘It is ready for the soldering’; then he fastened it with pegs, that it might not totter.” This description of teamwork and encouragement is actually about those making an idol. How much more should God’s people cheer each other on and encourage each other as they build the Kingdom of God and advance the gospel!

Why Giving Stops – Overcoming Cirrhosis of the Giver by Rev. Tony Cooke

I became concerned a few years ago when I read some very startling statistics about how Christians were handling their money… especially in the areas of tithing and giving.  According to the studies I came across:

• Only around 6% of those claiming to be “born-again” in America actually tithe to their local church.
• 9% of those who identify themselves as “evangelicals” tithe to their church.
• The average church member in America gives 2.5% of his or her income to the church.

Stop and think about it.  If every church member in America began tithing, the budget of churches would quadruple!  If all church members in the U.S. tithed, there would be an additional $156 billion available each year for the mission of the church. 

Our Greatest Opportunity is Right Now!

There are more people alive now on the earth than ever before. 

• When Jesus was born, the entire world population was 200 million people. 
• In 1,000 A.D., the population of the entire world was 300 million people.
• Today, there are around 303 million people in the United States alone, and the great majority of the 6.7 billion people living on the face of the earth do NOT know Jesus.

The Wycliffe Bible Translators estimate that there are 2,000 people groups that don’t have a single verse of Scripture available to them in their own language, and another group suggests that there are probably 1.6 billion people who have never even heard John 3:16. The task before us is massive, and we have far greater potential than what has been realized. 

When I address these issues, I’m not primarily thinking about dollars and cents, but about lives and hearts!  We know that Jesus taught that, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).  Billy Graham said, “Give me five minutes with a person’s checkbook, and I will tell you where their heart is.”  What does this mean?  If the money of people is not coming into the church—into the work of God—then it’s an indicator that their hearts and their thoughts are not in the mission of the church either.

After the ushers brought the offering to the front of one church, the pastor held it up and prayed: “Lord, regardless of what we say about you with our lips, this is really what we say about you, this is really what we feel about you. This is really what you mean to us. Amen.”

Let me briefly mention five factors that can contribute to believers not being the kind of tithers and givers that God desires:

1.  Economic Issues

There is a logical, common-sense approach to this.  If people don’t have money, they can’t give it.  However, I’m convinced that there are certain heart issues that go beyond the economy.  When you read Luke 21:1-4 and 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, you’ll notice that the economic conditions were not great for the widow woman or for the churches in Macedonia, and yet they gave generously in ways that evoked the recognition and praise of Jesus and Paul respectively.  Their external actions of generosity were a reflection of hearts (and wallets) that were totally consecrated to God!

One of the reasons I believe that economic issues are not the ultimate factor in giving is that U.S. Christians give proportionately less today than they did during the Great Depression.  In 1933, at the depth of the Great Depression, average per-member giving was at 3.3%.  Compare that to the average church member today who gives an average of 2.5% of his or her income to the Lord.

2.  People Have Not Positioned Themselves to Give

Lynn A. Miller said, “Stewardship is the act of organizing your life so that God can spend you.”  We live in a day of unprecedented spending (including excessive credit spending), and seemingly, people are saving less and giving less.  One person said, “Our problem is that we spend money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need to impress people we don’t like.”  Another wisely noted, “If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep becomes your downfall.”

John Wesley taught people to “earn all you can” without hurting one’s body, soul, or neighbor.  Then to “save all you can,” cutting off needless expenses and not seeking to gratify the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, or the pride of life.  But Wesley said if you stop here (earning and saving all you can), that you haven’t done anything.  His third admonition to believers was to “give all you can.”

3.  Saturation – Christians Have a Multitude of Options

Some Christians have ceased to value their local church because of a “glut” or saturation of highly visible ministries. When there are a handful of preachers on TV at any given time, non-stop radio preachers, extensive ministry via the internet, newsletters and magazines arriving daily at the house from ministries and charitable organizations, and churches on every corner, it becomes easy for people to take churches and ministries for granted.  A constant bombardment of financial appeals can cause church members to be desensitized to vital needs, and to lose focus of the significance of the local church and its varied ministries.

4.  Disillusionment

Some believers have become disappointed when unrealistic expectations of instant prosperity did not materialize.  As a result, these believers have become closed, reluctant, and hesitant.  They feel they’ve been burnt, and are not quick to trust preachers.  Perhaps they saw giving as a “get-rich-quick” opportunity, and then gave up on giving entirely when it failed to produce the expected results.  Perhaps they gave impulsively in the midst of some high-pressure hype… when the emotions wore off, they felt regret, and felt manipulated and taken advantage of.

If people feel exploited, there’s a possibility they won’t just quit giving to the one that exploited them—some will quit giving altogether.  There are certainly godly and selfless ministers who have genuine leadings from the Lord to receive special offerings on occasion when expectation is high and the anointing is strong.  But there are also “master manipulators” who routinely manipulate and hype the saints, and many don’t recognize the difference between the honorable and the unscrupulous.

5.  Many Christians Have Yet to Establish Spiritual Resolve, Spiritual Maturity, and Obedience to the Bible in the Area of Stewardship and Giving.

Christian obedience and generosity is best expressed when it is a consistent and disciplined extension of a mind-set and lifestyle based on biblical truth.  That way, it’s not erratic or based on whims, impulsivity, or emotion.

Some Christians have excused themselves from their giving responsibilities (tithing, in particular) by stating that they are not “under the law.”  In reality, they are under a Covenant where God has done more for them than was ever done for people under the Law.  In response to God’s goodness, they have chosen to do less for Him.  One person said, “If we do less under grace than they did under law, it is a disgrace.”

Tithing did not originate under the Mosaic Law.  It actually began hundreds of years before the institution of the Law as an act of faith and devotion.  It was later regulated by the Law. Giving under the Old Testament went toward the support of the Temple in Jerusalem and of the priesthood.  That was a worthy cause, and God distributed that responsibility out equally among the people—each person doing his own part.  Giving under the New Testament goes toward the support of the church and the evangelization of the entire world.  If they gave 10% for the upkeep of a priesthood and a temple that was only a shadow of things to come, what should Christians do when it comes to supporting the proclamation of a message that causes people to be born-again and has the ability to impart the gift of eternal life?

T.S. Linscott wrote in 1888, “If Christian people would live up to the Bible demand, and pay God one-tenth of their income… there would be enough and to spare; and I believe the Millenium would soon be upon us, for the conversion of the world is, in my opinion, now reduced to a question of money.  We have the men and women whose hearts God has touched, and whose souls are aflame with missionary zeal; we have a Gospel that meets the requirements of all sorts and conditions of men; full provision has been made for the salvation of the world…”

A.W. Tozer said, “As base a thing as money often is, yet it can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor.  It can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel and thus transmute itself into heavenly values.  Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth.  Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.”

CONCLUDING THOUGHT

Pastors face challenges in teaching about stewardship, and yet it’s part of the biblical responsibility of spiritual leadership.  It’s easy to back off of this area because of not wanting to be lumped in with some who have gone to excesses and extremes, but balanced and solid teaching must come from healthy local churches.  We pray that God graces you with great wisdom in this area, as well as all the other areas that are involved in carrying out your wonderful calling!

What is Scripture For?
Tony Cooke

Several metaphors are used to illustrate the various functions of the Word of God in our lives. For example, the Word of God is likened unto:

• Fire and a Hammer (Jeremiah 23:29)
• Honey (Psalms 19:7-10)
• A Lamp (Psalm 119:105)
• Rain (Isaiah 55:10)
• Bread (Matthew 4:4)
• Cleansing Water (Ephesians 5:26)
• A Sword (Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews 4:12))
• Meat (Hebrews 5:11-14)
• A Mirror (James 1:23)
• Seed (1 Peter 1:23)
• Milk (1 Peter 2:2)

Multi-dimensional applications of the Word are also seen in Paul’s admonition to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In his outstanding book, “The Seven Laws of the Learner,” Bruce Wilkinson elaborates on these four prescribed functions of God’s Word. The following four definitions are his.

1. Doctrine means teaching, instruction, that which is learned, kept pure, and defended against heresies. Doctrine occurs when the teacher explains the Word of God to the man of God, showing him the truths he should believe.
2. Correction is made up of three Greek words meaning “to make straight again.” Its goal is setting right, raising up those who fall, correcting those in error.
3. Instruction in righteousness refers to upbringing and means “child training.” Its emphasis is on guiding believers in the way of God and includes chastening and discipline. According to a leading Greek dictionary, this term describes “the whole training and education of children which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, commands and admonitions, reproof and punishment…”
4. Reproof speaks of conviction of punishment of the sinner. It’s a rebuke to those in sin or the convincing of a man of the error of his way and setting him on the right path.

In listening to some modern voices, you would get the impression that the Word of God is given only for encouragement and enlightenment. Some teach that if believers will simply be enlightened as to who they are in Christ, then everything else in their life will automatically fall in line. If that were the case, then Paul would have said that Scripture was simply for enlightenment, but he did not say that.

After articulating those four purposes of Scripture (doctrine, correction, instruction in righteousness, and reproof), Paul said that this was so that, “…the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Apparently, even correction and reproof are good works – they are not negative or bad works.

A Faithful Minister Uses All of God’s Tools

In the next four verses (2 Timothy 4:1-4), Paul proceeds to give Pastor Timothy a very sobering charge.

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Did you notice that Paul said Timothy was to convince in his preaching? One Greek commentary says this means to “…rebuke one another with such effectual feeling of the victorious arms of the truth, as to bring one if not always to a confession, yet at least to a conviction of sin.”

I recently heard someone say, “The Holy Spirit will never convict the believer of sin; He will only reveal to us who we are in Christ.” Not only is there no scriptural support for such a statement, but if that were the case, then Paul has just taught Timothy that he was to use the Word of God to do something that the Holy Spirit would refuse to be a part of. The Word and the Spirit agree; the Spirit is the One who inspired the writing of the Word to begin with, and certainly He will stand behind it to confirm it when it is preached. There may be some people with itching ears who want to hear nothing of a corrective nature, but Paul told Timothy that this was one aspect of the purpose of the preached Word.

In Titus 1:9, Paul told Titus that the bishops he was to appoint needed to be men who would hold fast, “…the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” The word convict there means to admonish, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, or reprove. Paul later told Titus to, “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you” (Titus 2:15).

In no way am I implying that our preaching should exclusively be that of attempting to correct everyone and straighten everyone out. Our pulpit ministries should be full of love, encouragement, comfort, and edification. But can we truly say that we preach the whole counsel of God if there is never a component of all of the things Paul said should be involved in the proclaiming of God’s Word? And these include such things as correction, reproof, and rebuke.

What is Scripture for?

• It’s honey, but it’s also a hammer.
• It’s milk, but it’s also a sword.
• It’s rain, but it’s also fire.
• It’s meat, but it’s also a mirror.

Let’s embrace what Jesus said and live by “…every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). That includes the words that feed us and tell us who we are in Christ, and also the words that correct us and help us to live the way God desires.

What God is Not
Learning Through the Process of Elimination
Rev. Tony Cooke

The article below is adapted from the audio CD series, “The Wonderful Nature of God.  To learn more about that series or to order it, please click here.

As much as we’d all like to be omniscient and get it 100% right the first time, every time, most of us on occasion learn through some trial-and-error, through the process of elimination.  Even some of the great leaders of the Bible learned this way:

• When Samuel went to anoint the new king, he thought Eliab was the one (1 Samuel 16).  Actually, Samuel looked at seven of Jesse’s sons, but none of them were the right one.  When Samuel finally saw David, God said, “This is the one.”
• David had it on his heart to build a temple for God, but God told him he would not be the one to do it, but that his son would (2 Chronicles 6:7-9)
• Elijah saw great manifestations on Mt. Horeb, but he recognized that God wasn’t in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire.  It was after he realized what God was not in that he perceived God in the still, small voice.
• Paul had certain ministry destinations in mind (Acts 16:6-7), and he attempted to go in those directions.  Scripture says, though, that the Spirit did not permit him to go to those places.  Paul obeyed, though, and then received direction concerning where he was supposed to go.

In each of these cases, they found out what the will of God wasn’t before they found out what it was.  One of the great skills (or graces) in life is the ability to trust, but these kinds of situations also require that we have the ability to adjust.  We must have the humility to admit that we may have missed it, even if our intentions and motives were right.

WHAT GOD IS NOT

When it comes to knowing God and perceiving Him correctly, many of us had wrong ideas about God.  Even today, we have to acknowledge that in some areas we “see through a glass darkly.”  When we see the truth of the Word about God’s character and nature, we have to decide whether we will hold on to an old tradition, or if we will embrace His revealed truth.

In Psalm 50:21, God had a pretty sharp word for some who had misperceptions of Him.  He said, “You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes.”  God has revealed Himself, and he wants us to know Him for who He is.  With the “process of elimination” in mind, let’s look at some of the things God is not… that helps us better understand who He is!

1. God is not equaled.

God has no equal.  He is in a class all by Himself.  It’s sad, but some people see Satan and God still battling it out, wondering who will win.  But Satan has been defeated and is not in God’s league.  Isaiah 44:6, 8 says: “I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.  Is there a God besides Me?  Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

2. God is not changing.

God is the only being in the universe who has no room for improvement, growth, or development.  Malachi 3:6 says that He is the Lord and that He does not change!  He can’t get any better, stronger, more loving, or more kind than He already is.  You can’t do anything to get Him to love you more or less.  The old song says that He gets “sweeter and sweeter as the days go by.”  I appreciate the sentiment, but the reality is that He only seems sweeter and sweeter to us as we get to know Him more.  He was just as sweet before we came to an increased appreciation of His sweetness.

3. God is not a man that He should lie.

God is reliable, trustworthy, and dependable.  Numbers 23:19 says that, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent.  Has He said, and will He not do?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

4. God is not afraid.

You may have heard about the well-meaning but misguided person who endeavored to prophesy, saying:  My little children, don’t be ascared.  But if you are ascared that’s alright, cause I get ascared Myself sometimes.  Seriously, what would God be afraid of?  The future?  He dwells in eternity, and he knows the end from the beginning.  He can’t be afraid of the unknown.  He knows everything.  He’s not afraid of the dark because He is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  Paul said (2 Timothy 1:7) that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 

5. God is not ashamed.

There are two very powerful verses in Hebrews that let us know that God is not ashamed of us!  In speaking of the sons who are being brought to glory, Hebrews 2:11 says of Jesus, “He is not ashamed to call them brethren.”  Hebrews 11:16 says that “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

6. God is not tired.

We all love the Scriptures about God giving us strength!  Isaiah 40:29 says that, “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.”  Verse 31 tells us that, “…those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength.”  Have you wondered, though, why God is able to provide such strength?  Verse 28 reminds us of God’s eternal strength when it says, “The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.”  God can give power and strength because He’s got it.  And no matter how much He gives, He never runs low or gets depleted!  He’s the one who never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4).

7. God is not confused.

The world may be full of confusion, but God is not!  1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace…”  Thank God for the peace and clarity that comes from Him, enabling us to rise above the chaos and confusion of the world!

8. God is not a respecter of persons.

Numerous Scriptures testify to the fact that God is not a respecter of persons.  God loves you as much as any person that has ever lived!  There is a tendency to think that God loves others more, but He loves you with an everlasting love!  I like what one person wrote:

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

If God had a wallet, your photo would be in it.

God sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.

When you want to talk, He’ll listen.

He could live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

And that Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem?!

Face it friend, He’s crazy about you.

9.  God is not a thief.

Jesus seemed to be very emphatic in differentiating His work from the work of the enemy.  In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  God has been blamed for all kinds of tragedies and heartache, but He is the life-giver, the comforter, the healer, and the restorer. 

10.  God is not stingy.

An amazing number of verses reveal God’s very benevolent nature:

·  Psalms 84:11 – No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

·  Psalms 68:19 – Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!

·  Luke 12:32 – Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

·  Hebrews 11:6 – …he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

·  James 1:5 – If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. (Amplified)

It sure helps us to approach the throne of grace when we know that God’s heart and hands are open toward us.  Augustine even said that “God is more eager to bestow His blessings upon us than we are to receive them.”

There is something transforming about coming to the knowledge of Who God really is… not just “information” about God, but a personal realization of Who He is toward you.